Airbag release aid

• US 7,134,690 B2
• Filed: 01/22/2004
• Issued: 11/14/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/04/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Automotive Systems Laboratory, Incorporated (Ningbo Junsheng Investment Group Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Automotive Systems Laboratory, Incorporated (Ningbo Junsheng Investment Group Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Furusawa, Takasi, Khandhadia, Paresh S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dunn, David R.
• Application Number:
  US10/762,709
• Publication Number:
  US 20040150201A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,027 Days
• Field of Search: 280/736, 280/741, 280/742, 554/82, 554/821, 554/86, 555/25, 555/23, 261/104, 261/107, 149/108.4, 252/194
• US Class Current: 280/736
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23514 coated fabric
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/235 characterised by their material
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/264 using instantaneous generation of gas, e.g. pyrotechnic B60R21/268 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C06B 23/04 for cooling the explosion gases including antifouling and flash suppressing agents

Abstract

A solid propellant gas generator contains a bed of agglomerated or beaded hydrated gelatin. The gelatin/water bed is oriented such that at least substantially filtered combustion products are humidified by the water vapor as the filtered combustion products pass over the bed. Relative thereto, a method of improving the release and inflation of an airbag of a vehicle occupant protection system is also described. Humidification of at least substantially filtered combustion products results in a reduced pressure requirement to open and inflate a stored airbag in fluid communication with the gas generator.

Claims

1. A method of improving inflation of an airbag comprising the steps of:

igniting a gas generant composition within a gas generator to form combustion products;

at least substantially filtering the combustion products to form filtered combustion products;

humidifying the filtered combustion products to form humidified filtered combustion products without further filtration thereafter; and

routing the humidified filtered combustion products into the airbag.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said humidifying step comprises combining the filtered combustion products with at least 0.1–

2.0 moles of water for each mole of gas generant combusted.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein said humidifying step further comprises combining the filtered combustion products with about 1.0 moles of water for each mole of gas generant combusted.

4. A method of reducing an amount of fluid pressure required to release and inflate an airbag comprising the steps of:

adding an amount of water to filtered combustion products resulting from combustion of a gas generant composition, thereby forming humidified filtered combustion products without subsequent filtration; and

routing the humidified filtered combustion products into an opening leading into the airbag,

wherein the added water lubricates the airbag opening.